SEROPREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS B VIRUS IN PATIENTS ADMITTED TO ERA’S LUCKNOW MEDICAL COLL EGE AND HOSPITAL

Hepatitis-B Virus infections are a serious global and public health problem. To assess the magnitude and dynamics of disease transmission and for its prevention and control, the study of its seroprevalence is important. A medical college catering to the needs of a large population represents an important centre for serological surveys. Available data, on the seroprevalence of these bloodborne pathogens is also very limited. A study was undertaken to estimate the seroprevalence of Hepatitis-B Surface Antigen (HBsAg) in both the sexes and different age groups in a hospital-based population. Serum samples collected over a period of 24 months from patients admitted to various IPDs of Era's Lucknow Medical College and Hospital, Lucknow were subjected within the hospital-based microbiology lab for the detection of HBsAg using ELISA test. The seroprevalence of HBsAg was found to be 1.92%. The study throws light on the magnitude of viral transmission in the community in Lucknow city and provides a reference for future studies.